Celtic's Martin O'Neill Faces Pressure as Title Race Tightens
Martin O'Neill, the interim manager of Celtic, expressed concerns about the team's prospects in the Scottish Premiership, stating that any further dropped points could make a comeback challenging, although he believes it’s not impossible. Currently, Celtic sits in third place with seven matches left, trailing Rangers by two points and Hearts by five. O'Neill emphasized the team's confidence, saying, "We have the belief. Do I have the belief in the team? Absolutely. The team have belief in themselves as well." However, he acknowledged the importance of securing points, noting that dropping more could complicate their title aspirations. This season has been tough for Celtic, particularly in matches against Dundee, where they have yet to earn a league point. They suffered a defeat at Dens Park in October, marking their first loss there since 1988, and were beaten again by Dundee United in their last match, bringing their league defeat total to eight—double from the previous season. As the title race heats up, O'Neill highlighted the psychological advantage of playing early in the weekend. Rangers will have already faced Dundee United, and Hearts will play their match against Livingston before Celtic kicks off against Dundee at 16:30 BST. In injury news, O'Neill provided updates on key players Arne Engels and Julian Araujo. Araujo, recovering from a thigh injury, has returned to Bournemouth for treatment, while Engels has been training well, with his return to the squad uncertain for Sunday.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-04-03